Gun holder



Aug. 1960 'r. F. ARONSON ETI'AL 2,948,449

GUN HOLDER Filed Jan. 16, 1959 I INVENTORS THEODORE F. ARONSON FLOYD A. LYON United States Patent()' 2,948,449 'GUN'HOLD ERL Theodore F. Aronsonpfill fCrescent Beach Road, Glen Cove, N.Y., and Floyd A. Lyon, Old Wheatley Road, Brookville, N.Y.

Filed Jan. '16, 1959, Ser. No. 7 87,148 2 Claims. (Cl. 224-1) This invention relates to a gun holder for shotguns and rifles and more particularly to means for holding a gun safely yet instantly available.

One of the inconveniences of hunting is that the shotgun or rifle is quite heavy and appears to get heavier each hour. After holding a gun for several hours in a ready position, the arms become weary and the user is not as careful as heshould be as to the direction in which the gun is pointed.

Military type slings holding the gun on the back of the shoulder are not suitable for fast action, for instance, when a bird flies from the brush immediately in front of the shooter, the gun must be up to the shoulder and lead the flight of the bird in a single instantaneous motion.

Various type gun holders have been used in the past including some types using a cup for holding the butt end of the stock. However, most of these cups have been mounted on the beltof the user at the waist and it has been found that this is an inconvenient mode of operation. Patent No. 2,828,058 shows a gun holder comprising a half-cup hanging freely and rotatably in a trapeze type support.

The present holder is an improvement over this type and provides a cup support to receive the butt end of the stock, the cup being mounted on a strap across the chest over the opposite shoulder of the user. The cup is supported about midway between the hip and knee, and the cup is fixed to the strap in a particular manner so that the position of the cup is constrained in the proper direction, namely, to maintain the cup level and the major axis of the cup pointing fore and aft. This constraining motion is obtained by aflixing the strap tothe forward side of the cup on the side against the users leg and to the rear on the other side. In other words, the cup is constrained to rest against the side of the leg and pulled towards the user at the rear. This provides a steadying support at all times and still permits the user to throw the gun forward and raise it out of the cup to his shoulder with a single motion. When the gun is not in use it rests in the cup with the muzzle pointing safely skyward at all times, and it is merely necessary to apply a very light pressure to hold it in this safe position.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide new and improved gun holding means.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means to hold a gun safely with the muzzle in substantially vertical position.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means to hold a gun safely with the muzzle in substantially vertical position but having the gun easily removable for quick shooting with a single motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gun holder comprising an oval shaped cup adapted to receive the butt end of a gun stock and shoulder strap means connected to the cup to suspend it against the leg of the user about midway between the knee and hip and to Patented Au 9, 1960 I 2 constrain the cup into a position parallel and against the leg of the user at all times. j These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification and drawings, inwhich: 1 Figures 1 and 2flare side perspective views of an embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 3 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the figures the invention comprises a plastic or metal cup 1 having an oval shape large enough to accommodate the butt end of the stock of the rifle or shotgun and being approximately 2 inches deep. The cup is preferablylarge enough to include a felt inner lining 2 to prevent scratching of the gun stock and to receive the gun stock with a relatively free fit. The cup is mounted on a shoulder strap 3 which is connected to the front portion of the cup on the leg side, fits across the chest over the opposite shoulder, down the back to the outside rear portion of the cup. The strap 3 is preferably adjustable in length and is preferably used to support the cup about midway between the knee and the waist of the user.

The connections of the strap to the cup are an important feature. The strap 3 is connected to the cup at an angle at at least two points, for instance 4 and 5, on each side, by riveting or other means, and the strap is connected to the outside rear portion of the cup at an equal angle. The upper connections 4 and a corresponding one on the other side are further from the center than the lower connections. The other end of the strap is connected to the other side of the cup in the same manner so that the cup is reversible. This manner of connecting the cup provides a twisting effect. In other words the cup is constrained in a clockwise motion looking down, so that the rear strap holds the cup against the leg in standing and in most walking conditions so that the cup remains substantially fore and aft with respect to' the direction of travel and the muzzle of the gun is pointed skyward at all times.

If the user bends forward at the waist, for instance, to avoid an obstacle or climb over a fence, the support will then swing away from the leg but will still tend to maintain the gun in a substantially upright, safe position. 'It has been found that it is definitely not desirable to fasten the cup to the leg as this limits the proper motion of the cup support and could become dangerous while climbing or crouching.

In the event it is desired to mount the gun quickly to the shoulder, the operator lets the gun fall forward and can raise it quickly to his shoulder without fouling on any straps as shown in Figure 3. Note that the front strap support in Figure 3 lies-away from the plane of motion in raising the gun and the back strap does likewise.

Various modifications will occur to those desiring to practice the invention Without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

W e claim:

1. A gun holder comprising a cup having an oval shape adapted to receive the end of a gunstock, a web connected to said cup and adapted to fit over one shoulder and support said cup in the opposite side from said shoulder against the leg between knee and waist substantially below the hip; one part of said web being connected to the upper and lower forward portions of the leg side of said cup and being connected to said upper portion more forwardly than to the lower portion, and a second portion of said web being connected to the rear upper and lower portions of the other side of said cup and being connected to the upper portion of said cup rearwardly with respect to the lower portion whereby' said cup is constrained in a vertical position against the leg of the user when walking or standing.

2. A gun holder comprising a cup having an oval shape adapted to receive the end of a gun stock, a shoulder strap'connec'ted to said cup and adapted to suspend said pup against the side of the 'leg between the waist and knee substantially 'below the hip in a substantially vertical position, said strap being connected at two separate points to the body side for-ward portion at an angle 'from upper front to lower middle of said cup and connected at two separate points to the outside rear portion of said cup at an angle from upper rear to lower middle.

5 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 106,216 Smith Aug. 9, 1870 919,301 Anderson Apr. 17, 1909 1 2,536,252 Bates Jan. 2, 1951 2,828,058 Mar. 25, 1958 

